Advertising device



D38. 24, 1940.' KAsTEL 2,225,699

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed 001;. 19, 1958 INVENTOR BY [s/DoRIKAsmL ATTORNE Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING DEVICE Isidor I. Kastel, New York, N. Y.

Applicationoctobcr 19, 1933, Serial No. 235,854

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements inadvertising devices; andparticularly to a novel means and mode of displaying advertising material.

An object of the invention is. to provide an advertising design combined with anarticle capable of supporting it, and adapted to render same perceptible only when the owner manipulates the article to put it to its intended use; and then to exhibit the design within a restricted field of view, only. The design is thus shown in a manner that is virtually unnoticeable except to one or more persons within predetermined limits and beyond these the article: looks as if no advertising matter were borne by it.

My invention can particularly be practiced in connection with umbrellas, parasols and the like; especially when such appliances have tops or covers made of transparent or' semi-transparent cloth, such as Cellophane, oiled silk or indeed flexible material of almost any kind preferably not too thick to prevent entirely the passage of light through it; and a further object of the invention is to provide an advertising lay-out 50 attached tosuch a top or cover that it will blend more or less with the color tone or scheme thereof and while being plain to the eye of the user or anyone with him from the moment the appliance is opened or raised, it will merely seem at most a part of the ornamentation or pattern of the cover to everyone else; because it will not be recognized as an advertisement through said top, even if seen through the outer or upper surface of the latter. Thus the purpose of the invention is secured without changing in any way the appearance of the article itself.

The advantages and merits of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. This disclosure, however, is explanatory only and numerous other ways of putting the invention into practice may be followed without departing from the principle thereof or exceeding the scope of the appended claim.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of an umbrella or Parasol with the parts in raised position, showing the outside of the top with little or no indication of the advertising design visible as such; and

Figure 2 shows the under surface of said top with the design thereon.

On the drawing the same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

a top secured to these ribs.

, I Numeral l indicates the rod or shank of an umbrella, 2 the ribs and 3 the flexible cover or In construction the umbrella will be of the ordinary type with a sleeve encircling the shaft I and links pinned to i the sleeve and the ribs 2,v so that the top can be raised and lowered in the usual way. Thisitop can be cloth such as oiled silk, or Cellophane or any light cloth which can receive a design printedion one face or otherwise wrought therein. It may be adorned with emblems of any shape, or

size, or arrangement; and for the sake of-example I have shown the top as having wide bands 4 thereon, of some color or colors easy to distinguish from the top 3. 15

The design put on for advertising or the like will be upon or associated with the lower or inside face of the top; and is illustrated by means of the figures or symbols indicated at 5; but obviously any kind of figures withor without words 20 maybeadopted. These figures will be in hues that will show against the top when the' latter is lifted; and, if the top be more or less translucent, they will harmonize with the top and bands 4. Then, with the umbrella lowered, the design on the under face of the top will be entirely concealed; and when the top is raised the design will be clearly seen by the user and his companion standing below it; as at the point A. But the design will not be distinguishable to anyone else, even a short distance away, as at the point B on Figure 1. A person there might be able to make out the presence of what he will discern through the top as markings of some sort, but they will not have the aspect of an advertisement. On

.the contrary they will seem like nothing more than parts of the color scheme on the pattern of the cloth, and will not attract undue attention, and if the top be ordinary cloth through which little light passes, the design may be almost entirely screened as regards anyone away from the area of direct vision, as at point B. The umbrella will, therefore, serve its intended purpose as well as any other umbrella, and the advertising in the inner face will not make the bearer thereof in the least degree conspicuous.

Further, with a more or less translucent cover 3 and a design comprising figures with or without lettering as desired, the tints and other features of the pattern of the top and particularly either or both bands 4 on the top 3 can be such as to assist in toning down the design 5 to one gazing at it from the outside of the top. For this purpose scroll lines, bars and other efiects may be included in the pattern of the top so as to camouflage the advertisement or the like as much as possible and give no hint on the outside of the top of the umbrella as to the nature of what has been placed on the lower face thereof. But, as stated above, the design will still be fully observed by the persons using the umbrella.

The design 5 can be made up not only as an advertisement but also as a reminder or souvenir of places or events. Whenever the owner or his companion has occasion to raise the umbrella they will of course be quite surprised when they find that, instead of being an ordinary article, it bears something interesting on the under surface. Consequently the observers will scrutinize the design closely and thus the end and aim of the advertising will be realized. I

The design can be dyed or printed on the cover or top 3 or it can be otherwise worked to appear thereon. It might even be made up separately and stitched or cemented in place on the lower face or inside, but whatever method is followed the design must have the result described; and when seen from the outside of the umbrella it must be invisible or not very pronounced and impress the spectator as a part of the scheme or pattern thereof. The device is of course of especial value for both advertising or for souvenir purposes. It can be sold or given away at places or in the course of events, anniversaries, celebrations, etc. which are to be commemorated. When not lifted it has in every respect the appearance of any other umbrella and the design on'the inside of the cover is entirely hidden.

Of course the location and extent of the design can be such that it will be placed on the under surface of the top near the center as disclosed, or adjacent the circumference thereof. The carrier of the umbrella can always see the under face of the top from the rim up for several 40 inches, and of course the advertising will be always situated so as to be within the best range of vision. The advertising will thus be glanced at not only on opening the umbrella but as long as it remains open for shelter.

With this invention a new field is available for advertising devices. While the umbrella is in every respect like a common umbrella on the outside, whether closed or open, the carrier and anyone who may be with him when it is raised will be greeted with an advertising announcement. Whatever is on the lower face of the top is always in evidence and this advantage continues from the time the umbrella is first obtained until it is entirely worn out.

Of course the top of cover 3 does not have to be of transparent or semi-transparent material but it can be of any light cloth, plain or fancy; with such material the design 5, while conspicuous on the under face, will be all the more invisible when one looks at the outer face, especially if the top has ornamentations aiiixed in any way thereon.

The rod I may have a dist: with a pointed end 1 and a ball 8 on the outer end to make an artistic handle, of a nature to agree with the advertising.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An umbrella or parasol having a light flexible translucent topor cover in a single layer, having a selected pattern or color scheme on its outer surface, and having on its lower or inner face a design which is clear to the eye when viewed from apoint adjacent said lower face, said design being formed with colors distinguishable from the under surface of the cover, but so shielded or camouflaged by said pattern on the outer surface that, when said top or cover is seen from above or outside the same, the nature of said design is not apparent, even if viewed through said top, but said design then merges with the color scheme from.

ISIDOR I. KASTEL. 

